Welcome to HVAC-Talk.com, a non-DIY site and the ultimate Source for HVAC Information & Knowledge Sharing for the industry professional! Here you can join over 150,000 HVAC Professionals & enthusiasts from around the world discussing all things related to HVAC/R. You are currently viewing as a NON-REGISTERED guest which gives you limited access to view discussions

To gain full access to our forums you must register; for a free account. As a registered Guest you will be able to:

Participate in over 40 different forums and search/browse from nearly 3 million posts.

Forced air hydronic furnace? Can anyone identify the type?

Hi All,
I am a waterproofing consultant with an HVAC question.

I am trying to identify the type of furnace I am looking at. Can't find make or model.
Two story apartment complex with separate units below and above. Water heater has small tank above that leads to a hydronic boiler of sorts: The hall and bath ceilings are dropped to 7 foot to account for plenum to registers in each room. The bathroom has a metal door in the ceiling about 2 feet x 4 feet. inside is the 12" plenum space with a long box narrow box (boiler?) about 16"x 36" x 10" (guess) with copper pipe manifold that enters one end of the box (boiler?). There are two squirrel cage blowers and a AC line set entering the other end. A condensate line exits the apartment wall.
My questions: What am I looking at? Can the apartment humidity be controlled for the AC operation and can the humidity be controlled during heating.
The apartment is experiencing mold issues that can be addressed to an extent if the heating cycle humidity can be controlled. Please see attached photo.A9R16B9.pdfA9R513D.pdfA9RF49B.pdf
Thanks,
Charlie

Thank you gas doctor

Originally Posted by thegasdoctor

Where is the moisture coming from?

These are 140 apartment units in in Central Valley of California; built 1999.
Only 1 unit with mildew on many walls within the unit living room, bedrooms and closets.
Yes, most of the water is (was until she moved out) generated by the tenant (10 years never opening windows, drying her laundry in the unit, etc.). No mildew in the plenum (nor in the internal bathrooms; bath fans are working!)
That said, there was a major construction error: a 2" sand cushion was placed on top of the vapor barrier. Moisture has slowly built-up in the sand layer and is now a constant source of humid air during the winter. We will be sealing the concrete floors (and all 70 other ground floor units as the carpets are changed out).
However, I was wondering if the humidity can be adjusted, the condensate line will remove that water from the apartment. I'm sure there has never been an adjustment made to the hydronics in any of the units. I just did not want to over look something obvious to someone that knows these systems.
Thank you for your help!

Just a little fan coil common in apartments. Typical A/C coil in it for cooling, likely gets its heat from that water heater. May be a drain issue, plugged or otherwise. Works like any other A/C system.